I recently read the column, "Drinking age should be lowered" that described UF's proposal to treat underage students who have alcohol-related illnesses without stigmatizing them.
I consider this an acceptable and suitable policy to establish. It's very evident that college students younger than 21 will drink alcohol, but the fact that this occurs should not alter the legal drinking age.
There are many pros and cons to this debate; however, the cons outweigh the pros.
The age limit hasn't stopped minors from drinking. If the legal limit was lowered to 18, more problems would arise. It would contribute to more alcohol-related vehicle crashes and death.
Changing the age would allow more individuals, those between the ages of 18 and 20, to buy and drink alcohol.
Many 18-year-old students are still in high school. If teenagers are given the right to legally purchase and drink alcohol, it will open the floodgates, introducing more alcohol consumption to those in high school.
Another serious factor to consider is that this issue would make teens more vulnerable to drug and substance abuse as well as unprotected and/or unplanned sex. We could also see increases in violence and academic failure.
The drinking age should not be lowered.
Courtney Pavlok
West Palm Beach
